Reel-based gaming machine with multiple overlaid displays

ABSTRACT

A gaming machine and method are disclosed that provide enhanced visual effects for a player through the use of one or more electroluminescent displays overlaying a display area associated with a set of electro-mechanical slot reels (or reel tape). Various embodiments are shown, such as overlaid displays that include cutouts about one or more reels and provide video or static images that are interactive with the reels during either the base game or feature game.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No10/119,324, filing date Apr. 8, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part ofapplication Ser. No. 10/045,192 having filing date Oct. 18, 2001 andentitled “Electroluminescent Display For Gaming Machines”.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialthat is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The field of the invention relates to gaming machines and methods, andmore specifically to gaming machines and methods usingelectro-mechanical or video reels and multiple overlaid displays.

2. Description of the Related Art

Traditional Las Vegas style slot machines are generally well known. Inparticular, the slot machines have a display area visible to a playerthat allows viewing of either physical slot reels, reel strips, or videodisplays showing pseudo-reels. The reels either spin or appear to spin,stopping with various game indicia visible to the user through a viewingarea or display. A typical display will show a set of individual indiciain a matrix (column×row) format. A typical slot may have one of manytypical indicia patterns visible to a player, such as 3 indiciavertically and 3 indicia horizontally (3×3) for a total of 9 indiciashowing, 3 vertical and 4 horizontal (3×4) for a total of 12 indiciashowing, and so forth. If the gaming machine uses slots or reel strips,methods of indicating winning paylines to a player have been limited dueto the physical construction of the display area. Playable paylines aretypically made part of the game glass that sits over the visible gameindicia. In these cases, the possible paylines are simply coloredpointers or lines that a player uses to determine for themselves(depending on the wager) if they have won or not, after the reels stop.They provide little in the way of helping a player recognize winningpaylines; payline recognition must be done by the player.

Some games have been fitted with a single overlaid display, but thesehave various limitation, such as being able to display a single videoimage.

Players often enjoy seeing various special effects associated with agaming machine. Thus, there continues to be a need for a more robustdisplay area where various images may be presented to a player prior to,during, and after base and/or feature game play. Such imagery mayinclude showing multiple images over and about one or more of the reels,better methods of showing potential paylines to a player and providingplayer attract modes in the gaming machine area immediately around thevisible game indicia.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention/s, gaming machines and methods areprovided that provide an improved game display and effects to a playerthrough the overlay of two or more displays over a display areacorresponding to a set of reels or tape.

Multiple electroluminescent displays are operably attached to, andconnected within, a gaming machine to produce an overlay effect overand/or about the displayed portions of the reels. The overlaid displaysmay present fixed or video images and the images and may have cut-out orclear portions enabling one or more reels to remain visible. Theoverlaid video images may interact with the reels and/or to present aportion of a base or bonus game. Internally, an electroluminescent (EL)driver is operably connected between a CPU within the gaming machine andthe EL display, the EL driver actually being used determined by theparticular implementation. Software running in the game machine's CPUand memory will create images to display on the EL display in a mannersimilar to other display devices in the sense that EL displays enablepixel addressing. This allows the known engineering solutions used forother pixel addressable displays to be used with EL displays.

Other features and numerous advantages of the various embodiments willbecome apparent from the following detailed description when viewed inconjunction with the corresponding drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a TFEL display's structure inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the location of an electroluminescent display area in agaming machine accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates payline indicators in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a gaming machine front panel with TFEL panelsaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates game symbol combination indicators using color atleast partially surrounding individual game symbols, in accordance withthe present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a method for using electroluminescentdisplays in a gaming machine, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a further method for usingelectroluminescent displays in a gaming machine, in accordance with thepresent invention.

Persons of ordinary skill in the art and with the benefit of the presentdisclosure will realize that the following description of the presentinvention is illustrative only, and is not limiting. Other embodimentsof the invention will readily suggest themselves when such skilledpersons have the benefit of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, for illustrative purposes the presentinvention is shown embodied in FIGS. 1 through 7. It will be appreciatedthat the apparatus may vary as to configuration and as to details of theparts without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein.The methods may vary as to details, partitioning, repetition, stepinclusion, and the order of the acts, without departing from theinventive concepts disclosed herein.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an TFEL display (thin filmelectroluminescent display). Layers 100 through 108, making up theprimary layers of a TFEL, are deposited on a glass substrate 110(clearly the illustrated thicknesses are not scale). There areelectrodes 100, insulator 102, phosphor layer(s) 104, another insulatorlayer 106, and another electrode layer 108. This would be typical for amonochrome display; color displays would have an 15 additional filteringlayer (RGB filters) between the display glass (viewing direction) andthe first layer of electrodes. The specifics of TFEL display making anddriving are known in the TFEL art; important TFEL characteristics forthe purposes of the present disclosure are discussed below.

One key property of TFELs is their thin construction. All the layersapplied to a substrate have a typical combined thickness of 20KAngstroms or less, even when color filters are added to FIG. 1. As anAngstrom is 10-8 centimeters, the entire display may be less than 2×10-4centimeters thick (this will depend on phosphor layer(s) used and anyadditional ROB filters for color displays, but the order of magnitude isthe important part for purposes of this disclosure). Even adding theglass substrate together with the control structures needed for astandard commercial electroluminescent display package, the entiredisplay panel may be in the range of 4 mm to 20 mm in total thickness(approximately 0.2 to 0.8 inches). Compared to the rest of themechanisms in a reel gaming machine or reel tape gaming machine, thisthinness allows the placement of the display panels virtually anywhere,as they will not interfere with the reel mechanisms. In addition,electroluminescent panels may be used in conjunction with a videodisplay by placing electroluminescent panels around the boundaries ofthe video display. This allows TFEL (thin film electroluminescent)displays, mounted on the front panel of a gaming machine and visible toa player, to be placed literally anyplace on the display area that doesnot obstruct they player's view of the game indicia (reels, reel tape,or video display). This is new, allowing dynamic displays in physicalareas on gaming machines, particularly reel and reel tape machines, notpreviously possible.

FIG. 2 shows a typical location for one or more electroluminescentdisplays visible to a player. A gaming machine 200 is shown in front andside views. Illustrated is a slant-top configuration, but the cabinetshape is for illustrative purposes only. Gaming machine 200 has thenormal accoutrements, such as top candle 202, an upper (typicallystatic) display 204, a plurality of player input/output devices,typically buttons, shown generally as 212, and an input slot 206. Inputslot 206 may be a bill acceptor, voucher reader, player ID reader, orseveral of these in combination, as configured in any particular casino.Finally, the visible game indicia are shown as a series of four playervisible areas, in this case slots 208, surrounding by game indiciadisplay area 210. Display area 214 shows where game indicia area 210would be located (approximately) when the gaming machine is viewed fromthe side. Note that the four slots 208 are representative only; theremay be any number of slots or areas, or the game indicia area may be asingle rectangle (or other shape), such as found on video-based gamingmachines. In all cases, there will be an area 210 visually close to thegame indicia area. It is intended that area 210 be considered as twofunctional areas. The first functional area is such that when playing agaming machine, the electroluminescent displays are placed so that aplayer, when viewing the images shown on electroluminescent displays,visually associates at least one image with a game indicia. The secondfunctional area is close to the game indicia (still mounted on the reelpanel of the gaming machine), but with enough visual separation suchthat images displayed are seen as applying to more than one gameindicia.

A typical TFEL installation in a gaming machine will use either custommade or commercially available TFEL panels mounted on the underside ofthe gaming machine's display area glass 210, also called the reel panelfor reel gaming machines (it is also possible to mountelectroluminescent displays on top of the front panel area glass, butthis is not expected to be the most popular configuration). There may beone or several individual panels, depending on the specifics of theimages to be displayed and the gaming machines' current mechanisms.Further, a plurality of electroluminescent displays may be physicalconfigured (attached in relationship to each other and the display areaart) to appear as a single display to a player. Since electroluminescentpanels comprise displays were individual illumination points areaddressable as pixels, the software engineering techniques used tocreate and send images to TFEL panels is a known task (the same as otherpixel devices). The software generating the images is run on a graphicsprocessor or general purpose processor and associated RAM in the gamingmachine, together with the appropriate TFEL display driver or driversfor the specific application, which will result in an image visible to aplayer (these components not illustrated). The same techniques used fora single electroluminescent display are applicable to more than onedisplay panel as well; the overall image or image(s) being managed bythe same software.

FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of the present invention. Shown generally isgame indicia display area 300, typically the front game panel or frontpanel glass (also called the reel display glass, reel panel, or reeldisplay area glass). Typically this panel will be made of glass withopaque artwork covering the surface of the glass except for the“windows”, or areas left, transparent to allow player viewing of thereels (or reel tape) underneath the front panel, and the TFEL panels. Inthis example, there are four reel windows allowing a player to viewunderlying reels shown as 320, 322, 324, and 326. Each window allows aplayer to view 3 game indicia per reel, resulting in a 3×4 display(individual indicia shown generically as circles). Electroluminescentpanels 302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314, 316 and 318 have been placedin close proximity to the four game indicia display areas. Althoughshown as a collection of 9 panels, the actual number of panels willdepend on the implementation. For example, there may be two end panels(302, 304 and 306 replaced with one panel “c” shaped panel, andsimilarly on the other end) and three intermediate panels. Note furtherthat the panels may be installed on a common substrate, the unit theninstalled on a gaming machine. All such variations in the actualinstallation and implementation of electroluminescent panels is withinthe inventive scope of the present invention.

Since the electroluminescent displays are addressable in pixels, theyare usable to shown paylines in a dynamic manner. Shown as solid lineswithin dotted-line electroluminescent display boxes 316, 312, 310, 308,and 304 are three of the possible paylines that may be enabled by aplayer using a gaming machine having the display area of FIG. 3. Thesethree are shown to keep the illustration from becoming cluttered; anypaylines connecting a plurality of game indicia may be shown to a playerusing the electroluminescent displays, and they may be in anyconfiguration—they need not even go from edge to edge or cross all fourreels. In addition, the present invention allows for the portion of theelectroluminescent display shown as box 328 to contain the wageringamount currently being played; there would be an equivalent display areahaving wager amounts per payline. This enables not only the wageringamount in general to be shown, but further enables the amount wageredper line to vary; varying wagering per line has not previously beenpossible because there was no way to indicate individual paylinewagering amount differences to the player. Now, it may be indicated bythe color of the paylines or other methods, in addition to thewager-per-payline box 328 (there would be an equivalent box for eachpayline).

Another preferred embodiment will use small electroluminescent displays,similar to strips but actually long rectangles, to allow paylineindicators to appear as if they cross game indicia. This is illustratedin window 334, having three game indicia 336 visible and each gameindicia having in front of it (mounted on the window glass) a thinelectroluminescent strip 338. In the illustrated case, the pixels in thethin rectangular TFEL panels in front of the reels may be illuminated atwill. The illumination may occur upon a winning event; it may be used inconjunction with a “help screen” (teaching mode) to show a player whatpaylines correspond to what bet amounts or what paylines a player maychoose; or, they may be illuminated as a player makes wagering choicesduring game play. Since color is used in a preferred embodiment, theilluminated paylines may be further distinguished by using differentcolors for different paylines or wagering amounts. This is expected tobe helpful during payout events and initial wagering. Upon theoccurrence of winning game indicia after a game play (meaning that thereels stop with game indicia in a specified physical relationship toeach other, that combination of indicia and location defined as awinning combination; in old reel games this was limited to a set ofthree symbols in a line), the winning combinations of individual gameindicia may now be illustrated to the player in real time anddynamically. This was not previously possible with reel or reel tapemachines. In addition to the per-payline wagering amounts beingdisplayed as discussed above, a preferred embodiment will further use anarea of an electroluminescent display shown as box 330 to show theplayer their current game status which may include but is not limited tocurrent amount wagered, amount won, credits, varying pay table options,and other useful data. Note that a further use of electroluminescentdisplays 314, 306, 318, and 302 are as additional player attract modedisplays. This becomes especially useful with the addition of a furtherelectroluminescent display located between 314 and 306, shown as 332. Inthese displays, images may be generated showing promotions, new games,extra winning jackpot events, shows in the casinos, player trackingawards, and generally fun stuff like miniature cartoons.

Displays 314, 332, and 306 may further be used to show a complete bonusor secondary game. One preferred embodiment of such a game is to show astatic display of numbers (the numbers would be part of the art on thefront of the panel glass) which are bonus multipliers. The numbers aredistributed across the glass under which displays 314, 332, and 306 areinstalled. During bonus play, the electroluminescent displays are usedto illuminate each number in a backlit fashion using different colors,each number in quick succession. The bonus round consists of the bonusmultiplier numbers being momentarily backlit until lighting staysconstant underneath one number; that is the player's winning bonus.Further bonus plays or games are readily constructible using images thatmay be displayed directly through the front panel glass, as wellbacklighting art on the glass. For example, an animated version of apachinko game could be used as a bonus game on the displays; or, aseries of numbers (bonus multipliers or bonus win amounts) appearing to“come out at the player” in quick succession until a winning multiplier“freezes” (number stops changing) could be used; or, other animatedsequences resulting in the display of a winning bonus number can bedisplayed. The present invention enables an unending plethora ofvisually attractive bonus games or bonus rounds in all their chimeraticsplendor to be incorporated directly into the front panel area of reel(or reel tape) gaming machines, not heretofore possible.

FIG. 4 shows views of an example embodiment of the present invention onfront panel glass. Front panel 400 corresponds to the front paneldiscussed in FIG. 3 (300). Dotted-line boxes indicated by 404 representelectroluminescent displays mounted underneath the front panel glass;solid-line boxes 402 represent reel viewing windows. If a front panelsimilar to panel 400 is tipped such that the underside (the side awayfrom the player) of the panel is visible, a view such as panel 406results. Four reel viewing windows 408 are visible, as are mountedelectroluminescent displays 410 which correspond to the dotted-lineboxes shown on panel 400. These displays will stand slightly proud ofthe front panel glass; depending on the displays used in a specific gamea typical range would be between 0.2″ and 0.8″. When installed in a reelgame, a view similar to 418 results. A set of reels 420 rotate behindfront panel glass 412, the front panel 412 having viewing windows 414allowing a view of each reel (typically one reel through one window).The viewing area is limited to show a specific number of game indicia,the game indicia being printed on the outer circumference of the wheel.Electroluminescent panels 416 may be placed on the backside of frontpanel 412, as they do not interfere with reels 420. Reels 420 may bephysically located where they need to be, namely, close enough to thefront panel such that a player can view the game indicia on the reels'circumference, and further with 15 each reel mounted close to the otherreels in order to form an easily viewable gaming area.

FIG. 5 illustrates another preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. The ability to use electroluminescent displays immediatelysurrounding game indicia allows a more colorful method of indicatingpaylines, while enabling visual winning game indicia indicators notpreviously known.

FIG. 5 illustrates a gaming machine having 5 reels or reel tapes, with 5game indicia viewing areas (displays). Each of the game indicia areasallows a player to see 3 individual game indicia. Shown is a 5×3display. The columns 5 are designated as A through E, and the rows 1through 3. Thus, the designation B2 refers to the individual gameindicia in column B, second row (middle row, in this case). Surroundingthe 5 slot display areas are electroluminescent displays. For thepurposes of this embodiment, the pixels in the electroluminescentdisplays are grouped into the areas shown in FIG. 5. Each of the visiblegame indicia has at least one set (defined as a contiguous area as shownin the figure) of pixels on a portion of an TFEL panel associated withit; some have more. On the end rows (end reels), there is one set ofpixels in the immediate vicinity of each game indicia. For column A, A-Ihas the area 500 in its immediate visual vicinity, A-2 has the two areasshown as 502 in its immediate visual vicinity, and A-3 has area 504 inits immediate visual vicinity. The same layout holds true for the lastcolumn, column E. Column B has the indicators discussed as in column A,from B-1 to B-3 being 514,510, and 516, but in addition has anadditional visual indicator (area) for each game indicia. Thus, eachindividual game indicia in column B has two indicators. In addition toindicators 514, 501, and 516, the B column also has the indicators 506for B-1, 512 for B-2, and 508 for B-3. Column D is configured similarlyto column B, where D-I has indicators 540 and 542, D-2 has indicators536 and 538, and D-3 has indicators 544 and 546. The center column,column C, is the most complex. Each individual visible game indicia incolumn C has three indicators. Game indicia C-I has indicators 522, 520,and 518; game indicia C-2 has indicators 534, 532, and 530; and gameindicia C-3 has indicators 524, 526, and 528. This complex and visuallyinteresting form of indicators is enabled by the use ofelectroluminescent displays placed around each reel (or reel tape)display.

The game is played when a player makes wagers which enable differentnumbers of paylines. In one preferred embodiment, shown in FIG. 5, thepaylines are very interesting as they are all 3 game indicia paylines.The availability of 5 reels (5 columns of game indicia) means that newcombinations of 3 winning 15 indicia may be found and indicated to theplayer, using the indicators discussed above, creating uniquecombinations of game indicia not previously available. The game shown inFIG. 5 may be understood as a combination of 3 different 3×3 matrices,each having 3 columns and 3 rows. A first matrix comprises columns A, B,and C; a second matrix comprises B, C, and D; and a third matrixcomprises C, D, and E. Any 3 game indicia that would comprise a winningpayline in a standalone 3×3 matrix game comprises a winning payline whenfound in anyone of the 3 matrices of the present game. Thus, whendesignated game indicia show up in designated positions, a winning eventbased on 3 game indicia is illuminated. As there a 3 sets of columns,there may be winning paylines in any of the 3 column sets (any of thethree 3×3 matrices). Examples of winning game indicia 5 combinationsinclude, but are not limited to, A-I, B-1, and C-1; C-3, D-2, and E1;B-2, C-2, and E-2; B-3, C-2, and D-1; B-1, C-2, and D-I. Since a typical3×3 matrix game can yield anywhere from 3 paylines (three straighthorizontal paylines from right to left) to 27 paylines (includingpaylines such as A-2, B-3, C-I), the illustrated game, having three 3×3matrices rather than just one 3×3 may be configured with over 5000winning combinations. This creates far more excitement for the player,in addition to enabling the casino to choose certain pay table entriesfor the occasional large win. In each of the winning payline examples inthe last paragraph, the winning payline is shown to the player by usingthe areas surrounding the game indicia with color indicators to show awinning combination. Thus, column C has three indicators for eachindividual game indicia (C-1, C-2, C-3) as each game indicia in C hasthe possibility of being in winning combinations corresponding to eachof the three 3×3 matrices visible to a player; columns B and D may eachbe in two, and columns A and E may be in one. For each logical 3×3matrix, winning combinations will be flashed or otherwise indicated tothe player using a same color.

In one preferred embodiment, the paylines available to a player will belimited to horizontal, 3 game indicia paylines only (i.e., B-3, C-3, andE-3). In this embodiment the winning combinations may be permanently litwhile the player watches until the start of the next game event or gameplay. Each wining game indicia combination may be indicated using adifferent color. An example having one winning payline from each of thethree matrices is: a first win at A-I, B-1, C-1; a second win at B-1,C-I, D-I, and a third win at C-3, D-3, and E-I. If matrix A, B, C isindicated by red, matrix B, C, D indicated by green, and matrix C, D, Eis indicated by yellow, then areas 500, 514 and 522 could be red; area506, 520, and 540 could be green, and areas 524, 544, and 550 could beyellow. This visually indicates to a player, using the surrounding TFELdisplays, where the winning combinations are. The player simply looks tosee which game indicia have like colors in the areas near them.

In more complex games allowing complex paylines, a preferred embodimentwill be to use a combination of indicators as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5;that is, both the individual paylines shown in FIG. 3 and the areasshown in FIG. 5. After a game event in a game configured as in FIG. 5, acolor will be used to represent one 3×3 matrix, with a payline withinthe color showing the actual payline. Thus, if green were used for the3×3 matrix comprising columns C, D, and E, then a payline of C-3, B-3and E-I would be shown by lighting areas 550, 544, and 524 with green,and further having a black (or other contrasting color) line in the areacrossing or connecting the winning game indicia areas. This is shownusing the dotted lines in the listed areas.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method for using electroluminescent displays in agaming machine. Starting box 600 is the initial starting point, theactions corresponding to this box being to provide a gaming machinehaving at least one electroluminescent panel operably disposed withinthe gaming machine and visually near the game results display area.Further, the panel must be positioned such that a player can make avisual association between images displayed on the panel and at leastone of the visible game indicia. In one preferred embodiment there willbe a visual association between anyone game indicia and at least oneportion of at least one panel. Box 600 is left and box 602 entered. Theactions associated with box 602 are to use the electroluminescentdisplay for player enjoyment and player attract mode. This includes butis not limited to displaying possible rewards and benefits of the game,promotions of other events in the casino, news, stock market displays,jokes, cartoons, and generally fun stuff to watch. Box 602 is left andbox 604 is entered when play is enabled. The actions corresponding tobox 604 include a player enabling the game for play. This may be thepresentation of a voucher to an player 1/0 device, cash input to thegaming machine, EFT transfer, or any other means of establishing gameplay credits on the gaming machine. Further, game play starts in box604. Diamond 606 is now entered. The decision corresponding to diamond606 is to determine if a game winning event has occurred. This could beany game winning event as defined by the game itself; typically thiswill include a set of game indicia having a certain special relationshipto each other defining a winning payline thereby. If there is a winningevent, diamond 606 is left via the “YES” exit to box 612. The actionscorresponding to box 612 include enhancing player recognition of anyand/or all paylines using all available electroluminescent displaysoperable within the gaming machine having visual proximity to the gameindicia. This includes showing paylines by using actual lines, colorindicia, or other visual means, over that available in the machinewithout the display(s). Box 612 is left for diamond 608. The decisioncorresponding to diamond 608 are the player continuing to play orleaving the game. If the player decides to leave the game, the “NO” exitis taken from diamond 608 and box 602 is re-entered, continuing theprocess with the actions corresponding to that box. If the player wishesto continue to play, the “YES” exit is taken to box 610. The actionscorresponding to box 610 include the player continuing play by invokinga next game event, and, optionally, using the electroluminescentdisplay(s) for player amusement and attract mode. As soon as a playerhas triggered a next game event, box 610 is left and diamond 606 isre-entered. Returning to diamond 606 from above and taking a differentexit path, if the game event had no winning event then the “NO” exit istaken to diamond 608. The actions corresponding to diamond 608 areexplained immediately above; the player decides to keep playing or not.

FIG. 7 further elaborates the use of electroluminescent displays inindicating paylines and in the use of attract modes. Starting at block700, a gaming machine having electroluminescent panels in accordancewith the present invention is supplied or present. Block 700 is left andblock 702 entered. The actions corresponding to block 702 are to waituntil a game event occurs. A game event means a game play, a game playoccurring after a player has enabled game play by using credits,vouchers, EFT, chips, etc. Further note that after leaving block 700,there is an arrow going to block 714. This shows a concurrent event. Theprocess represented by block 714 and diamond 716 is triggered, loopinguntil the game is shut off. The actions corresponding to block 714 areto use any available electroluminescent panels to show an animation,used as an attract mode feature. Upon the gaming machine being poweredup and before the first game event is triggered, this loop will bestarted. One preferred embodiment will use the electroluminescent panelsto show fixed-sequence animations; this is an action corresponding toblock 714. Fixed-sequence animations are animations that use a series ofpre-defined images, typically very few (from as few as 3 to perhaps adozen), and by showing the images on the display, in sequence, give theappearance of an animated picture. Thus, the actions corresponding toblock 714 include sending a sequence of pre-defined images to thedisplay or displays, creating an attract-mode animation sequencethereby. Once completed, block 714 is left for diamond 716. The decisioncorresponding to diamond 716 is to check the current state of the gamingmachine, and if a specified state or trigger event has occurred, takethe “YES” exit back to 714, thus triggering another animated display. Ifthe state of the machine is such that an animation sequence should notbe started (for example, a player involved in a bonus game using theelectroluminescent displays), or if a triggering event has not been set(i.e., a “do animation” bit in a status word is set to 0), then the “NO”exit is taken, looping back into diamond 716 which repeats its checksuntil a game state or triggering event is found. The loop continues aslong as the gaming machine is powered up. Note that this loop containsthe ability to enable multiple animation sequences, triggered bydifferent states or flags. For example, if there is an animationsequence designed to be played after a player wins a bonus round ofplay, then the “event trigger” may comprise the setting of designatedbits in a word, which when checked (as part of a regular pollingprocess) by the software looping in 716, will then invoke a particularanimation sequence. The use of a plurality of bits for the triggerenables not only the invocation of an animation sequence, but theability to choose amongst several choices of animation sequences.Returning to block 702, after the occurrence of a game event block 704is entered. The actions corresponding to block 704 are to use theelectroluminescent display(s) to show any winning game indiciacombinations. There may not be any. In a typical reel game, suchcombinations are called paylines, but may be defined in any way thatmakes the game interesting to players (since the combinations may now beidentified to the player in a better manner than previously). Forexample, it may be that a player may win something if a “block” ofcherries occurs, where a “block” is any four cherry game indicia thatform a 2×2 matrix, anywhere on the games display. The game indiciaforming a winning combination may be illuminated using lines, colors,boundary colors, and for multiple winning combinations may be shown in asequential manner in order to allow the player to cognize each winninggroup.

After indicating the winning combinations in some manner, block 704 isleft and block 706 is entered. The action corresponding to block 706 arethose of one preferred embodiment; note that there are other preferredembodiments which will not make use of 706, 708, 710, and 712 (704 wouldloop back to 702). In block 706, the actions include showing an amountwagered per paylines, or an amount wagered for each particular payline,at one end of each payline. Dotted-line box 712 mayor may not beentered, depending on the implementation of bonus rounds in theparticular game in use. If there are bonus rounds a player may win onthe game in use, and if a bonus round has been triggered, then box 712is entered. The actions corresponding to box 712 are to invoke the bonusgame and use the electroluminescent display(s) to show the entire bonusround (no other gaming apparatus is needed, for example, no top box isneeded). After the completion of the bonus round (if any), and/or thecompletion of the actions 706, diamond 708 is entered.

The decision corresponding to diamond 708 is to see if the player haschanged any wagering amounts. If so, then the “YES” exit is taken toblock 710, where the wagering amounts shown at the end of each payline,or the affected paylines, is changed accordingly. After that, block 712is left block 702 re-entered. If there is no change in wagering amounts,then the “NO” exit is taken out of diamond 708, leading directly back toblock 702.

The use of electroluminescent displays has been described primarily forthe use in gaming machines, located in close visual proximity to thegaming machine's game indicia. It is fully contemplated that the abovediscussed displays will readily be usable in prize kiosks and otherelectronic devices found in casinos. The present invention has beenpartially described using a flow diagram.

As will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art and withthe benefit of the present disclosure, steps described in the flowdiagram can vary as to order, content, allocation of resources betweensteps, times repeated, and similar variations while staying fully withinthe inventive concepts disclosed herein.

Accordingly, it will be seen that this invention provides a system andmethod for providing a unique three overlapping matrix game usingelectroluminescent displays in a gaming machine in close visualproximity to the game indicia area. Although the description abovecontains certain specificity, the described embodiments should not beconstrued indicating the scope of the invention; the descriptions givenare providing an illustration of certain preferred embodiments of theinvention. The scope of this invention is determined by the appendedclaims and their legal equivalents.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, uses specificnomenclature and formula to provide a thorough understanding of theinvention. It should be apparent to those of skill in the art that thespecific details are not required in order to practice the invention.The embodiments have been chosen and described to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical application, therebyenabling others of skill in the art to utilize the invention, andvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated. Thus, the foregoing disclosure is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formsdisclosed, and those of skill in the art recognize that manymodifications and variations are possible in view of the aboveteachings.

1. A gaming machine, the gaming machine comprising: a set of reelsarranged in parallel; a reel display area having at least one windowthrough which indicia from each of the reels may be viewed, at least oneelectroluminescent panel operably and visibly attached to said gamingmachine proximate to said reel display area such that a player may makea visual association between each individual game indicia and at leastone portion of said at least one electroluminescent panel; and, wheresaid at least one electroluminescent panel is further configured suchthat said window 1 and window 5 have at least one visually associativearea for each visible game indicia, window 2 and window 4 have at leasttwo visually associative areas for each visible game indicia, and,window 3 has at least three visually associative areas for each visiblegame indicia.
 2. A gaming machine including a set of reels; a primarygame operable on the gaming machine and interactive with the set ofreels; multiple displays overlaying the reels; two or more of thedisplays providing images associated with each other, the primary reels,and the primary game; a portion of one or more of the reels visiblealong with the images.
 3. 2. A gaming machine including a set of reels;a primary game operable on the gaming machine and interactive with theset of reels; a feature game operable upon one or more outcomesassociated with the primary game; multiple displays overlaying thereels; two or more of the displays providing images associated with eachother and the feature game; a portion of one or more of the reelsvisible along with the images.